Yesterday, Dayne & I said goodbye to our apartment. Our itty-bitty, practically-on-top-of-the-Rt.-30-bypass, faces-the-garages-and-garbage-dump, beautiful, lovable, first-married apartment. The place I moved into mostly by myself (I dutifully carried my TV down the hill and up the stairs in the summer heat, wondering if I was going to make it). The place where I lived as a single gal for a month before we got married. The place where I had my bachelorette sleepover with some of my best girlfriends. The place Dayne tried to move his stuff into and it didn’t fit at all because I had already filled every nook & cranny with my stuff. The place where I got ready with my bridesmaids and out-of-town friends for my wedding. The place we came home to after our honeymoon. The place where we unwrapped all of our wedding gifts. The place where we fought, made up, loved each other, and lived life for the first nine & a half months of our marriage.
I took this from the car yesterday when we had finally loaded up the last of our stuff. Our apartment is the 2nd balcony up, to the left of the entrance. I came home to this, to my husband, everyday.
We both love our new house to pieces – we really do – but when we were locking up the apartment yesterday, we both got a little emotional (I, perhaps, got a lot emotional). It’s hard to leave memories behind, particularly if they are emotionally strong memories.
For me, it’s hard to think that someone else will be living there in that space, since it was the birthplace of the most amazing relationship I will ever have in my life. Dayne says we will make lots of memories in our new house, most likely more amazing memories than anything we’ve experienced thus far. He also says it’s our first real home. I agree with him. But I still think you will never get your first year of marriage back (although some people would argue that’s a good thing), and Apartment 252 held all the special memories of that time.
I’ll miss all the sunshine that streamed in, but I get to keep this guy 🙂
life of faith 
May 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM
I felt the same way about our first apartment too! Must be a girl thing because I think Kev might have laughed (okay, maybe not for real) when I cried when we left. They are very special memories, but they are memories and you will always have them 🙂 Can’t wait to hear about all the new memories you’ll make in your 1st house!
May 31, 2012 at 8:50 PM
Thanks so much Renae 🙂 Glad to hear I’m not the only one who cried! You’re right, we’ll never lose the memories, and we’re very happy to be your new neighbors!
May 27, 2012 at 8:04 PM
Oh Lisa, I loved this post! It made me reminisce about our first apartment as a married couple. Sure, we had no outdoor space, it was a 4th floor walk-up, our dining room window faced a brick wall, and the shower head used to break and fall on my head (for real!), but it was so special, because it is where we learned how to be husband and wife. Thank you for sparking these memories, and enjoy making memories in that new house!!
May 31, 2012 at 8:49 PM
haha I cannot imagine living with that kind of a showerhead! 🙂 But yes, the learning and growing that took place in each of our respective apartments is a miracle from God and a delightful memory. I’m so glad this entry helped you reminisce about your own experience! Thank you 🙂